Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, chaired the Cabinet's weekly session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday.
At the outset of the session, the Cabinet offered its condolences to Egypt's leadership, people, families and relatives of Dr. Ihab Al-Sharif, the Head of the Egyptian Diplomatic Mission in Iraq, and denounced the killing. "This crime has nothing to do with religion and has no respect for humanity. It also harms Islam", the Cabinet said.
On London bombings, the Cabinet affirmed the Kingdom's stand by the United Kingdom in its pursuit of terrorists whose activities led to many deaths, injuring of hundreds of innocent people and damaging property. The Cabinet offered its condolences to the families of the victims and solaces to the wounded. It called on all Islamic organisations to condemn these
terrorist acts and show that these acts have nothing to do with Islam, its humanity and call for fraternity among all people.
In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, the Minister of Culture and Information, Iyad bin Amin Madani, said that the Crown Prince renewed his call on the world community to intensify its efforts and cooperation to combat terrorism, dismantle terrorist units and stop any extreme and corrupt ideology leading to terrorism.
The Crown Prince looked forward to the setting up of an International Counter-terrorism Center, which was proposed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and which will contribute to active international cooperation to create an international community free of terrorism.
The Cabinet also expressed its satisfaction over the signing of the Sudanese constitution, the inauguration of the two vice presidents, and the swearing-in presidential ceremony. The Cabinet hoped that the Sudanese people will achieve their aspirations of strengthening their national unity, stability and development.
Then the Cabinet was briefed on the outcomes of contacts and consultations held in the previous days with leaders and officials of some brotherly and friendly countries, which dealt with the developments and events at the Arab, regional and international arenas and necessitated the unity of international efforts in tackling them.
The Minister of Culture and Information noted that the Cabinet reviewed the visit by the Crown Prince to Industrial Yanbu City and his patronization of a number of industrial and developmental projects worth SR 50 billion.
Madani said the Cabinet then reviewed the local items on its agenda and issued the following decisions:
Based on a study submitted by the National Guard command, the Cabinet approved the system of camouflage and equipment for military servicemen. In a number of cases, the military serviceman is barred from removing his head cover. According to the system, he is also forbidden to write Quranic verses, the name of Allah or parts of the Prophet's Sayings and to draw portraits on military badges and chevrons.
Bursaries allocated for students of the Technical Training Institute for Civil Aviation were increased according to the following schedule: SR600 monthly for each student in the first academic year and SR800 monthly for each student in the second year. The bursary will not be paid in some cases stated in the regulation.
Based on the Shoura Council's decision pertaining to two annual reports of the National Commission for the Protection of Wildlife and its Development for the fiscal year 1421-1422 H and 1422-1423 H, the Cabinet instructed expediting the announcement of the remaining land and maritime protectorates according to the Commission's plan, enabling citizens to benefit from the protectorates by using them as national parks and providing job opportunities for the citizens of the areas beighboring the protectorates.
The Cabinet approved the Private Civil Security Guard System which, among other things, instructed the existing security guards companies to replace their current non-Saudi personnel by Saudis within 90 days of enforcing this system.
The Cabinet approved the appointment of Dr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Almarzooqi as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, formed according to Article 35 of the Patents and Designs for Integrated Centers, Plant Species and Industrial Replica, for three years. Members of the Committee, who will serve for the same period, are Consultant Salih bin Khalid Alhadlaq, Consultant Salih bin Ahmed Anani, Dr. Ibrahim bin Salih Almu'taz and Dr. Othman bin Abdullah Alshabana.
The Cabinet approved the appointment of Ibrahim bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Almufleh as Director General of the Zakat (alms) and Income Department at the Ministry of Finance; Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Almansour as Secretary General of the Higher Committee for Education Policy at the Ministry of Education; and Saud bin Ali bin Ibrahim Al Hussein as Director General of the office of the General President of the General Presidency of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
